"You make me believe that nothing is impossible" - When Andre Agassi cheered for Rafael Nadal to claim his 10th French Open title
In 2016, Rafael Nadal received a heartfelt letter from Andre Agassi. This happened just before Nadal's quest for a record 10th French Open title.
No. 4 seed Nadal began his Roland-Garros campaign on a promising note, defeating Sam Groth and Facundo Bagnis in the first two rounds. However, his journey took a massive blow when he was forced to withdraw from the tournament before his third-round match against Marcel Granollers due to a wrist injury.
Before he took to the red dirt in Paris, the Spaniard received a letter from Andre Agassi. The American highlighted how it took most of his career to achieve the "herculean task" of winning the tournament once and gave the 'King of Clay' a major boost by cheering for him.
"Rafa, it took me most of my career to complete the herculean task of winning the French Open one time," Agassi wrote.
"Watching you attempt to win it for the tenth time is not only remarkable … it is also inspiring. You make me believe in life that anything is achievable and nothing is impossible. Go get 'em," he added.
While the Spaniard couldn't achieve his goal in the French capital in 2016, he bounced back the next year and lifted the Musketeers' Cup for a record 10th time. It wasn't his last, though, as he went on to win the Claycourt Slam four more times (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022).
Rafael Nadal after winning his 10th French Open title: "Last year things did not work out"
After defeating Stan Wawrinka to win his 10th French Open title and 15th Grand Slam overall in 2017, Rafael Nadal spoke to the media. He said he left the previous year's setback behind and succeeded due to his mental and physical prowess.
"Last year things did not work out, and I don't think I'm entitled to complain about it," the Spaniard said. "I was not able to catch my chance last year. This year I was. Again, this trophy means a lot to me. Again, it's possible only because I have been physically strong and I have been mentally strong."
The 22-time Major champion then discussed the emotional roller coaster that Roland-Garros represents:
"The French Open means two weeks of a lot of pressure, and then finally, when you win the trophy, it all stops. It all comes to an end all of a sudden. And it means the adrenaline goes down and that brings a lot of emotions. That is probably why I have to sit down. You know, all of a sudden, the pressure comes down."
Nadal's legacy in Paris is perhaps somewhat unreachable. He stands alone as the only player in tennis history to win a Grand Slam that many times in the Open Era, solidifying his status as the best men's claycourt player ever.